A gasoline tanker overturned on Aug. 19 at 11:08 a.m. while making a turn in North Lawrence, causing a fuel spill and prompting a response from multiple emergency agencies, police said.
The 42-year-old driver was operating a 2024 gasoline tanker eastbound on East Avenue when he attempted to make a left turn onto Rockaway Turnpike, according to police.
The tanker overturned during the turn, resulting in a fuel spill.
"Our thoughts are with the truck driver and everyone impacted by today’s fuel spill on Rockaway Turnpike," Village of Lawrence Mayor Samuel Nahmias wrote in a statement.
The Nassau County Fire Marshal, Nassau County Office of Emergency Management, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Nassau County Emergency Service Unit, Motor Carrier, Fire Department of the City of New York, New York City Police Department, Meadowmere Park Fire Department and neighboring fire departments responded to the scene.
The driver was evaluated at the scene but refused medical attention, police said.
When firefighters arrived, they found gasoline leaking from the tanker and entering storm drains. Hazmat crews were called to the scene to contain the spill and address the gasoline in the drainage system.
Fire officials said they have received numerous calls from residents reporting the smell of gasoline after the fuel entered the sewer system.
Rockaway Turnpike is closed in both directions between Peninsula Boulevard and Brookville Boulevard. Motorists are advised to avoid the area and use alternate routes while emergency crews work at the scene.
The cause of the crash and the extent of the gasoline spill were not immediately available.
"While North Lawrence falls outside the Incorporated Village of Lawrence, we are deeply grateful to our local fire, police, and the hazmat response teams for their swift work to secure the scene and contain the environmental impact," Nahmias wrote. "Protecting both the safety of our residents and our local environment remains a top priority, and we will closely monitor recovery efforts as crews work to safely clear and restore the area."
Rockaway Turnpike has fully reopened following Wednesday's tanker crash and fuel spill in North Lawrence and Meadowmere near the Queens/Nassau border.
